A 30-year old Cessna 402 airplane,
registration N69404, en-route from
St. Marten to Curagao, made an emer-
gency landing at Bonaire's Flamingo Air-
port last Friday afternoon. The pilot and
co-pilot, the only persons aboard, were
uninjured.
The pilot had an indication of hydraulic
system failure after taking off and decided
on a precautionary landing in Bonaire.
After a fly-by of the Flamingo tower
showed his landing gear appeared to be
down, he attempted to land. Crash trucks
and rescue personnel were ready. On
touchdown the landing gear collapsed and
the plane skidded on its belly for over a
kilometer before coming to a stop on the
dirt next to the paved runway. There was
no fire, but there was significant damage
to the plane. The plane is worth about
$140,000.
Airport flight operations were not inter-
rupted because the aircraft was not block-
ing the runway. Both Antillean and, since
the plane carried an American registry,
US officials will investigate the cause of
the accident.

A Prime Minister Etienne Ys and his
team presented their plan to lower the na-
tional debt, improve the country's liquid-
ity position and push back poverty to Par-

liament on Tuesday. This first package
of the "Ice Age," as this Ys' administra-
tion is being called, will cost NAf 55 mil-
lion.
Ys made it clear that besides reducing
expenses, measures to increase revenues
from taxes are part of the package. He
said his government intended to finalize
the integration of the respective federal
and island tax services. A good way to
start to reduce expenses in Bonaire and to
improve taxpayer services would be to re-
merge the federal tax collector with the
island tax collector.
And expect new or increased taxes.

A The Rotary Club of Bonaire held
its annual Turnover Dinner on Friday,
June 18th at the RendezVous Restaurant.
The new Board for 2004-2005 was pre-
sented. It includes: President Evert
Piar; Incoming President Edsel
Winklaar; Secretary Ruud Vermeulen;
Treasurer Jan Gielen; Sergeant at
Arms Henk Schrijver. Past Secretary
Richard Dove was awarded the Paul
Harris Award for his years of out-
standing contribution to the Club.

A FOL-advisor Nelson Monte, who re-
mains the only member associated with
the disgraced FOL government currently

locked up, laments, "I've been incarcer-
ated for 14 months and I'm in great finan-
cial difficulties. I only have my pension
left. I don't know what to do. My health
deteriorates every day." Readers may re-
call that Monte resided in a VIP suite at
St. Elizabeth Hospital until last April
when the revelation that he was there,
instead of in prison, was the final factor
that brought down the Godett govern-
ment.
His criminal charges related to the Post
Office and the Curagao Airport Authority
were reviewed by the Court of Appeals
Wednesday morning. Monte was con-
victed of accepting bribes, forgery and
fraud. In court, no new facts were pre-
sented. Monte did not testify. Monte, who
according to eyewitness reports didn't
seem to have lost much weight since be-
ing jailed, is pessimistic about his future
and doesn't think he got a fair trial. He has
been sentenced to a three-year term, but
that may be shortened or lengthened
based on the outcome of his appeal.

A Monte's confederate, Curagao's An-
thony Godett, convicted of five crimes
involving forgery, bribery and laundering,
all related to attempt to personally profit
from the privatization of the Post Office,
deliberately did not show up at the ap-
peal of his case on Wednesday. Curagao's
leading vote-getting politician had de-
clared, when the Court of First Instance
found him guilty in December, that he
would appeal.
Presiding Judge ter Berg expressed both
"regret and respect" for Godett's absence.
The judge said he had looked forward to
hearing what Godett would have to say in
answer to a series of questions he had pre-
pared. But the Judge said he respected
Godett's decision. It is the right of every
suspect to refrain from participating in
court proceedings. The court will rule in

Reda Sosial (Social (Safety) Net) is
the Antillean organization that supports
many worthwhile projects in Bonaire and
all the Antilles. A recent report on its
activities in islands other than Curagao
since 1996 revealed that the funding
agency "spent" NAf 13.4 million in St.
Maarten, NAf7.5 million in Bonaire,
NAf 5.3 million in St. Eustatius and NAf
3.9 million in Saba. Reda Sosial is receiv-
ing new funds from the Ys government.
(Continued on page 4

page 2

CLICK IN BOXES TO ACCESS WEBSITES OR E-MAIL

The following advertisers
support of The Bonaire
Reporter help keep
subscription costs low.
Consider them first when on

CLICK to VISIT the sites

LET BONAIRE'S
HARDEST WORKING
REALTORS WORK
FOR YOU
www.sunbelt.an
SUNBELT REALTY

Quality wines and
champagnes from
AWC around the world
Free Delivery
Request a price list
Wine(g)antilleanwine.com

4 Last
week the
10th
Hello
Tourist
program
got un-
derway.
Its aim is
to ac-
quaint the
island' s
6th grad-
ers with
the tour-
ist facili-
ties on
the island by giving them all a "free sample" of what a Bonaire visitor can experience.
This year 250 students participated. They were from Watapana, Papa Comes, Reina
Beatrix, San Luis Bertran, Kristu Bon Wardador and San Bemardo schools.
Kimberley Dammerman and Evelain Marchena, who ran the program, reported that
enthusiasm ran high. With Bonaire's economy based mostly on tourism it offers the
youngsters an important perspective on their future. In the photo you see a group of the
students at the Bonaire Windsurfing Place and Jibe City.

(Flotsam andJetsam. Continued from page 2) years ago, the DCNA declared similar ob-
i jectives and defined a three-year strategy.
It concluded its first meeting in St. Maarten
last Wednesday.
Coordinator Kalli DeMeyer from Bonaire
presented a priority plan and a three-year
plan for the alliance and formulated the
statutes. In the coming months she will visit
the member organizations to ensure that
they are being managed effectively and to
offer advice and suggestions for improve-
ments. Since many donor groups look for
effective management of the resources they
* In low tide conditions it was always a give support to, this is a good place to be-
hassle for sailors to get their optimists, gin.
sunfish, lasers and catamarans out of the
water back on the ramp in front of Re- Last week a test case about the recogni-
gatta House without damaging their ex- tion of a same-sex marriage was side-
pensive boats. Not anymore, thanks to stepped by a court in Curagao.
Richard van Duijn of Duijn Bonaire Two men who were legally married in the
N.V. on Kaya Industria. He gave the Netherlands last year initiated the proceed-
sailing club a few big concrete blocks to ings. They wanted their marriage to be reg-
create kind of step up to make it easier istered in Curagao. But because they did not
for the sailors to get their boats back on follow the proper procedures, the Court was
the land. able to withhold stating an opinion. In the
In the picture are some of the young sail- new Civil Code of the Netherlands Antilles
ors. On the left is sailor/coordinator marriage is defined as a union between a
Geerlof, a strong competitor in the Hobie man and a woman. Many consider that for-
cat class, who has sailed to Curagao a malization of gay marriage is in conflict
few times and broke all records sailing with norms and values held in the Antilles.
from the Regatta House, around Klein The High Court in the Netherlands says a
Curagao and back to Regatta House in gay marriage must be recognized in the An-
four hours, 19 minutes, three weeks ago. tilles as it is in Holland. One of the founda-
tions of the Dutch Kingdom is that a law
0 Acquiring funding and creating aware- applies equally in all parts of the realm.
ness of the various conservation organiza-
tions in the Netherlands Antilles are the Crown Prince Willem Alexander and
immediate priorities of the Dutch Carib- Princess Maxima announced that they will
bean Nature Alliance (DCNA). Taking a donate the gifts given for the baptism of
page from Bonaire's Nature Alliance which their daughter, Princess Amalia, to pro-
acts as a focal point for issues, fundraising jects of the Oranje Fonds in the Nether-
and communication, formalized over three lands Antilles and Aruba. Stichting Rose

I etOL ICEDIUP A Ea

POLICE UPDATE
Assistant Public Prosecutor Justine
Gonggrijp says that it was relatively
quiet in her office last week, but there
were six drug smuggling arrests at Fla-
mingo Airport over the weekend. Three
of the smugglers were from Curagao; one
a Dutchman from Holland; one from the
Dominican Republic living in Curagao;
and one from Curagao who's living in
Holland.
There was an arrest of a repeat of-
fender, a 16-year-old (C.B.) living in
Bonaire but bom in Holland. He was ar-
rested for trying to forge checks that had
been stolen. This was the fourth time
he'd been arrested since January. On
June 26 he'll come before the Prelimi-
nary Judge who will decide on how long
he will be jailed. C.B. had been in court
at the beginning of June, then was ar-
rested a week later for the current crime.
From Charles Souriel of the Police De-
partment:
A notice was sent out that was too late
for publication in The Reporter that
the Police Department invited those
persons who had items stolen from
them to come to their offices in Playa
last Tuesday, June 22, from 8 am to 5
pm to view those items that have
been confiscated by the Police. If
you missed this opportunity to identify
your stolen goods, call the Police De-
partment at 717-8000.
Last week on Friday, June 18, there

Pelletier in Curagao and the Imeldahof
Children's Home in Aruba fall under the
Oranje Fonds. A Bonairean recipient has
not yet been announced.

A The Lockheed Orion long range pa-
trol craft, based in Curagao, are being
replaced by Fokker 60s. The airplane is
a lengthened military variant of the com-
mercial Fokker 50. Only four were built
for the Dutch air service. Over the years
the Orions have saved many lives by
finding lost boats and coordinating res-
cue efforts. The Fokker 60s will play the
same role.

A A new inn, the Golden Reef Inn, will
open on August 1. It's in Hato on Kaya

was an intoxicated Colombian woman
(H.) who lives in den Haag on the
KLM traveling to Ecuador. She was
either drunk or under the influence of
another substance and exhibited very
annoying behavior to the other pas-
sengers. The incident was reported to
the authorities in Bonaire and the
Prosecutor ordered that she be taken
into custody until she sobered up.
Last Thursday, June 17, there was a
fire at Lito's Place. The police and
fire department were called and were
there in less than 10 minutes. The
owner arrived at the same time and
tried to go into the building to see
what could be saved. The fire depart-
ment, seeing that it was very danger-
ous, refused to let the owner go inside,
whereupon the owner became very
aggressive and the police had to re-
strain him. The technical department
of the Police is investigating what
caused the fire.
Other news:
Two men, Jerickson Doran and Ken-
neth Martijn, were arrested and jailed
for 10 days for stealing a bicycle. A
scooter stolen from Rent-o-Fun was
also involved, but the police had no
evidence that the two had stolen it.
Also found in their house were other
items, among which was a computer
with a program for German transla-
tion. The owner of the computer iden-
tified it as his. O L.D.

Utrecht #30, the former site of The Travel-
lers Inn. Renee Leach from Renee Snorkel
Tours will be the property manager.

A Every Wednesday evening there will be
a meditation at Donkey Beach from 7:30
to 8:30 pm. It's sponsored by the S.H.Y.
(Spiritual Human Yoga) group but is open
to all. More information call 790-9450.

A Like to go to the beach? A new series,
Hush Hush Seaside Spots, which will give
the details and photos of some of Bonaire's
"secret" beaches, begins in this issue on
page 9.

A This issue marks the first edition printed
by Computer-To-Printer technology. It
means that The Bonaire Reporter remains
in digital format until it is put on the big
web press at DeStad Printing in Curagao.
That, combined by delivery by BonairExel,
means higher quality and faster delivery.
Now The Reporter is available on Bonaire
as early as Wednesday night. L./G. D.

page 4

c Y-9

e I O *e&aUPAGE

RESTAURANTS, FISHING AND
DISCRIMINATION
To the Editor:
I did not think I would stir up a Hor-
nets Nest with my letter. I have read
the comments that you published (last
week) and do not agree whole hardily with
a lot of them.
It's a shame that The Bonaire Reporter is
so self centered and opposed to remarks
from an American and a resident of Bon-
aire. In reply to some of the comment let-
ters to my article, I have this to say. I am
an avid fisherman and to show a picture in
the paper of a Brooklyn seaport is com-
pletely out of context. Show a picture of
Captree Boat Basin with about 60 party
boats or show a picture of Sheepshead
Bay, Brooklyn, with about 300 party boats
that go out every day. I was only trying to
spur interest in this type of fishing as it
would help the Island. I have fished all
my life and I do go out of Lac Bay with a
Bonaire friend, Monkey, who most of you
on Bonaire know. I have fished off a little
16-foot boat, caught fish and really en-
joyed myself there.
As far as my having hard feelings about
any Chinese cooking, I often go to the Su-
rinam bar and restaurant. I am good
friends with the owner, Michael, and I
would not have a problem eating or giving
my name there. Also China Nobo knows
me and they have excellent food. These
places I never see advertised in the paper.
To say I am only here on the island one
year is not correct. Make that two years

and you may be correct.
S S One of the first people on
nathe island I met was Sean
Paton who is on the radio
tf now. I even know the owner of
Pasa Bon Pizza. He was curi-
ous if I could help him with the
speed of his oven that was not
cooking right for him. I always say a
good brick oven is the best to cook a good
pizza. That is my personal opinion though
and people here do not like the opinions of
other people. I never had a problem mak-
ing friends on this island.
I used to mate on some of the fishing
boats in Hampton Bays, Long Island when
I was 12 years of age. My cousin was the
first to go offshore after the war to har-
poon Swordfish, catch tuna and we never
had a problem with any one glowing in the
day. The love of fishing is in me.
But here in Bonaire people do as they
please and do not like change. When I
talked to Chief at China Nobo today he
said he could not cook real Chinese cook-
ing because the expense would be too
much for the Bonairean person. He has to
make something that will fill the belly at a
cheap price. Yet Richard's makes a good
American meal and they are not cheap.
But the food is good and I can give my
name there and would not get turned
away.
You tell me why the American is so dis-
liked on this Island. I myself find no prob-
lem with the people here. Your articles are
all wet and the people discriminate against
the American.
The Dutch people who responded to my
letter never went out of Holland or visited

another country. I have served honorably
in the U.S. Army. I have spent 18 months
in Korea. I have visited Japan on R and R
and got good relations with the people I
had to live with.
Would you like to hire me as a roving re-
porter giving my opinion of the cooking
on Bonaire?
Maybe you can tell me where I can get a
good whiskey sour? I have not found a
person here that can make a good one.
They all like to use Scotch in the drink. I
hate the taste of Scotch.
Al Curry

DearAl,
Thanks for your letter in answer to the
three responses we printed in last week's
paper. I can't remember when we received
more mail or phone calls on something
printed in The Reporter. We only had
room to print three.
Contrary to what you wrote, we do publish
and appreciate the opinions of yourself
and other people. By the way, the three
people whose letters we printed in answer
to yours are allAmericans. What made
you think they were Dutch? I did not re-
ceive even one negative response from a
Dutchman. And I don't think you will find
many Americans who think they are dis-
criminated against, as you do.
I can 't help by hiring you as a roving res-
taurant reporter as you ask (we already
have a restaurant reporter) but can help
you get a good whisky sour. Ask the bar-
tender to make the whisky sour with rye
whisky, like Canadian Club. It will taste
more like what you 'dget in Brooklyn. Ed

page 5

3&eferenb unt Dro ncL e

NOS FUTURE, BAN P'EI
(OUR FUTURE-LET'S GO FOR IT.)

T his week a flood of statements, press
releases and correspondence seemed to
indicate that the Referendum was coming
alive after a month-long hiatus. Hans Els,
the former President of the Referendum
Commission, was thanked by the govern-
ment for his leadership role. Upon stepping
down, Dr. Els offered some suggestions for
the formation of the reconstituted commis-
sion. He believes that more expert advice, in
addition to that being provided by Mikiel
Bijkerk, should support the Referendum
effort. He feels that the Commission can be
expanded to include representatives from
labor unions, NGOs, and commercial inter-
ests. Last week two new Referendum Com-
mission members were named: Filomina
Janga and Rudolf Davelaar.
While the island government still wants to
hold the Referendum on September 3rd there
may be reasons to further delay the vote,
perhaps to December, 2004, to allow reports
pertinent to the Referendum to be com-
pleted and even until April, 2005, when the
Dutch Referendum on a new Constitution is
scheduled.
The opposition Democrats said in a letter to
the ruling Patriotiko party that they would
not join in a bi-partisan approach to the Ref-
erendum unless the present Referendum
structure is set aside and a new one devel-
oped with the concurrence of the Island
Council with UN and international consulta-
tion.
The island of Saba has also joined in the
Referendum passion and named a commit-
tee to oversee its own noll rewarding its fu-

ture as part of the Antilles constellation. The today on Bonaire. On Bonaire more people

Saba Referendum Committee, chaired by
Xavier Blackman, met with its committee
members last Wednesday. The committee
decided its objective was to ensure that the
voting public received accurate information
on the different options offered. O G.D.

The following article is the first of two
by Jiri Lausman describing life on
Aruba as shaped by its 1986 decision to
leave the Netherlands Antilles and be-
come a separate member of the Dutch
Kingdom We hope it can offer some
perspective as one of the choices a
voter may select in the Bonaire Refer-
endum is Status Aparte.

BONAIRE AND ARUBA'S

STATUS APARTE

ased on a recent poll it seems that an
overwhelming majority of Bonaireans
wish to split from the Curacao-based Neth-
erlands Antilles government. I would like,
after living long years on Aruba, to share
with you my experience with Status Aparte
(not "Aparte"), first given to Aruba by the
Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1986.
Aruba's will to become independent from
Curacao was stronger than it seems to be

have family ties with Curacao than do
Arubans, and the connection between Bon-
aire and Curacao has been always very
strong. While Bonaire in the past seemed to
accept the leadership of Curacao, Arubans
never recognized it, feeling themselves su-
perior to the "lazy" people on the "sister
island." One "proof' of this impression is
the fact that, while there is currently high
unemployment on Curacao, Aruba has, in
recent years, recruited tens of thousands of
workers from Latin America and countries
as far away as the Philippines to work
mainly in the growing tourist industry.
Leaders of the main political parties on
Aruba had long tried in vain to convince the
Dutch government of the necessity of Aruba
becoming independent from the Central
Government of the Netherlands Antilles on
Curacao. However, at that time Aruba was
offered only two alternatives to remain
in the existing Antillean constellation or
to become a fully independent island
country. It was a hard choice for the
Aruban population, the majority of whom
wanted to maintain links with the Nether-
lands. In 1986, Aruba, led by its charismatic
politician Betico Croes, declared that it had
decided to become an independent country.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands agreed,
after long negotiations, to grant Aruba a
special status called Status Aparte for the 10
years leading to independence in 1996. As
preparation for that independence, Aruba,
during this transition period, would be
indenendent from Curacan and would

have its own government, parliament and
currency, the Aruban florin. It is neces-
sary to emphasize that Aruba did not
choose this status (as often wrongly men-
tioned in the press) but it was given to it
as a condition for the preparation for in-
dependence.
It did not take long for Aruba to realize that
the coming independence from the Nether-
lands would bring with it more disadvan-
tages than advantages. As the date of the
planned independence approached, the
Aruban government attempted to convince
the Dutch that it would be irresponsible to
push the small island into independence
with all its uncertainties. The catastrophic
situation in Surinam, a former Dutch colony
like the Antilles, served as the main argu-
ment. After the Netherlands, during a period
of international decolonization, made Suri-
nam independent in 1975, against the will of
the majority of its population, an entire third
of the inhabitants immigrated into the Neth-
erlands, causing enormous problems there.
Then, a brutal dictatorial regime took power
in the newly independent South American
country and executed opposition leaders.
Confronted with these tragic conse-
quences of independence in one of its for-
mer colonies, the Dutch government
agreed to withdraw the clause defining
the independence of Aruba from the de-
cree on Status Aparte. In this way, Aruba
ultimately got its will. A statue of Betico
Croes, called "Libertador" (Liberator) of
Aruba (not from the original Dutch colonial
power but from Curacao), stands in Oran-
jestad, capital of Aruba, opposite a statue of
Simon Bolivar, liberator of South American
countries from Spain.
When Aruba chose independence from the
Netherlands, its economy was in very bad
shape. In 1985, Esso closed its refinery
(Continued ol noo ag6

page 6

(Status Aparte Continued from page 5)
there, once the largest in the world. It had
produced 40% of all fuel needed for allied
planes during WW II. Thousands of unem-
ployed Arubans left for Holland. But there
was a treasure, until that time practically
undiscovered miles of pristine, wide,
white beaches on the northwestern coast of
the island, probably the most beautiful in
the whole Caribbean.
Unprecedented tourist development be-
gan when large resorts, managed by
leading international hotel chains, were
built. The government of Aruba, with its
Status Aparte, did not need "upstairs" ap-
proval for its decisions to allow the new
projects. Without any supervision or
binding advice from the Netherlands,
and often neglecting urgent recommen-
dations of the Central Bank of Aruba
and large banks, it made, unfortunately,
some bad decisions on some large pro-
jects and their financing.
In order to stop the explosion of immigra-
tion by workers and their families, mainly
from various Latin American countries, the
government declared, after ignoring the
situation for several years, a moratorium on
construction of new hotels. The uncon-
trolled influx of people had led to an in-
crease in crime, traffic jams and prob-
lems with insufficient capacity of schools
and medical facilities. At the same time,
construction of three large hotels on the
famous Palm Beach was stopped because of
the bankruptcy of the Italian contractors.
The Aruban government, which gave guar-
antees for these projects, lost a court battle
that would have let them back out of the
commitments, and has to pay now, and far
into the future, millions of dollars to Italian
banks. While two of the hotels would be
eventually completed, the government de-
cided to demolish the third.

Most Arubans still cannot understand why
this almost completed, magnificent tall
building with large glass doors and win-
dows, had to be destroyed. Additional scan-
dals and adverse court decisions followed
and are still coming, obligating the govern-
ment to pay to various investors tens of mil-
lions of dollars. For example, a judge in
Miami recently decided that $20 million
had to be paid to a US investor in connec-
tion with a never realized speedway race
track
Another striking example of government
mismanagement and money squandering
is the new building at Aruba's Reina
Beatrix Airport. The final construction
costs exceeded the original estimate by
about 300%! Aruba now has a gigantic
airport building complex with a capacity
that far exceeds all future needs. It is lar-
ger than the ultramodern new airport on the
huge tourist island of Martinique in the
French Caribbean with population almost
five times the population of Aruba. The
airport operates with enormous losses com-
pounded by KLM' s decision to switch its
Ecuador and Peru flights to Bonaire.
Now the current government has thrown out
the hotel moratorium. A gigantic new time-
share hotel complex, towering above other
hotels, is currently being built, and another
hotel site is being prepared on the last pris-
tine section of Palm Beach, which is to
Aruba the same as Lac is to Bonaire, in
spite of fierce protests by the environmental
factions.

It is difficult to determine whether all these
developments would have taken place if
Aruba did not get Status Aparte almost 20

years ago. The fact is that the corruption
under this Status and irresponsibility of
the ministers and other public servants
has resulted in millions of dollars of
waste and has caused an enormous finan-
cial burden to the island.
Nevertheless, in spite of all the negative
aspects, it seems evident that Status Aparte
has brought unprecedented wealth to
Aruba. Based on this financial affluence
one might expect that in Bonaire's coming
Referendum, if the voters decide to leave
the constellation of the Netherlands Antil-
les, a majority of the population might vote
for an Aruban style Status Aparte.
In my opinion, as far as the future of Bon-
aire is concerned, I believe it is necessary to
keep a tight lid on tourist development to
preserve the pristine beauty of our island.
No permits should be given for construction
of new hotels and facilities needing foreign
labor for their operation. Rather, the stan-
dard of the existing hotels should be further
improved. The uncontrolled tourist boom
on Aruba should be a warning for us.
Any future development on Bonaire
should serve only for reaching the full
employment levels for local people. If
this is observed, the Aruban situation can be
avoided and Bonaire will remain an island
enjoyed by visitors for its splendid, un-
spoiled nature and coral reefs- the most
beautiful in the whole world. O JL

Jiri Lausman is a retired civil engineer,
born in Prague, living as a Dutchman the
last nearly 40 years, 18 of them in Aruba.
Before his retirement, he worked as the
manager for Latin America and the Carib-
bean for a large Dutch construction com-
pany.

The aim of the Cbrrmide team of editorial
and staff writers is to inform, not to influence public opinion or "sell" a particular option.
Critical comments, useful additions and questions by the readers are welcomed and pub-

page 7

\DIVE FESTIVAL
/..TYA f .J..J..-.Til

By any standard the 2004 Dive
Festival must be rated a huge
success. It offered two solid weeks of
great guided and individual diving,
attracted world-class personalities as
speakers, saw the presentation of pres-
tigious awards, recognized the pio-
neers of the Marine Park and had
about five times the number of active
participants as in many of the previous
festivals. The gamble to hold it for two
weeks rather than the previous one
week paid off when the second week's
attendees had just as much enthusiasm
and swelled the crowd at the fashion
shot to a record size. We can't imag-
ine how much better it can get. O G.D.

JuIVe -LI I0AL
June 5-1, ZOO+

Just a small part of the crowd watching from pool side at Buddy Dive
during the second Fit-4-Life/Palm Trading fashion show.

Germaine Nydam presented
one of her wonderful works
of art to Philippe Cousteau
in appreciation
for his participation in the
Festival.

Tireless workers for Dive Fest 2004: Desiree. Ruud,
rinMa and 7nnlrrn

Rodale Scuba Diving Magazine presented
its first annual Marine Park Award to
Jack Chalk, left, President of STINAPA,
the parent agency of the
Bonaire National Marine Park.

The first copy of a new, free, pocket-
sized dive guide was organized and
mostly sponsored by Deepak Daryiani
of the Bonaire Gift Shop and Atlantis,
and presented to Lt. Gov. Domacasse.

pageC o

~ ~ nnti
~Bl~r f

case with many beaches on Bonaire, shade is non-existent at
, P O T Atlantis, but one can find ways around this situation How

IT WAS A BAD WEEKEND
FOR SAILBOATS.

F irst, a very small sailing yacht
named One andAll hit the coast
about 500 yards north of the Willem-
storen light at 2 am on Saturday. The
skipper, who was unhurt, said it was due
to a miscalculation. Wave action carried
it up onto the shore where it was trail-
ered away by Botu Blanku. It was the
first yacht to come to grief on Bonaire
this year. It seems hard to believe in this
day of GPS, radar and autopilots that
boats continue to run into Bonaire.

Then just after dark on the same day,
two red flares were spotted northwest of
Klein Bonaire by people on shore and in
the yacht anchorage. The Curagao-based
Coast Guard was alerted by the Bonaire
harbormaster's office and the Pluto One
Search and Rescue plane was overhead
within an hour. Meanwhile the Parasail
boat, with assistance from people in the
harbor, located the boat and towed it in.
It was the 40 foot Venezuelan registered
yacht, Gambler, which had suffered rig-
ging damage and couldn't lower its fore-
sail. However, the powerful Parasail boat
was able to tow it back to the harbor and
tie it to a mooring.

And if this wasn't bad enough, on Sun-
day a jet ski collided with a moored sail-
ing yacht in the harbor after hitting a
fishing boat and tearing off its motor.
The jet ski was reportedly one of the
auxiliaries of a large yacht. According to
reports, the owner of the yacht placed a
lien on the jet ski to ensure he would get
his yacht repaired satisfactorily. 1 G.D.

W hen we decided to come to live on Bonaire, I imagined
spending most of my time lolling on the beaches that I
imagined a Caribbean island should have. I must admit I was
somewhat disappointed when I was referred to the popular
tourist beaches: Bachelor's Beach, Pink Beach, and Sorobon
Beach. Not that there is anything wrong with those beautiful
spots. I guess I was subconsciously looking for those unex-
plored coastlines and secret beaches that I had read about in so
many travel articles. So with my trusty support group, hubby,
Steven, and German Shepherd, Commish, I have embarked on
a quest to scout the coastline of Bonaire hoping to discover
some wonderful secluded, unspoiled beach gems and to share
them with you.

I will reveal to you the first two of my finds. Note that this is
only a personal assessment. I am not a diver, just a novice
snorkeler, but I am a dedicated beach bum who enjoys the feel
of sand under my feet, a quick dip in the sea and the feel of
sun on my skin.

Atlantis

Atlantis
First I discovered Atlantis. This is one of my favorite beaches
on the island. It's at the southern tip of the island not far from
the White Slave Huts. It is advertised as a dive site; however,
the secret of this wonderful sandy beach has been kept from
sun worshippers, thus far anyway. At Atlantis you'll find a
beautiful 1.5 km.-long sandy beach, shallow waters for the
necessary dip and a fascinating coastline for those essential
beach-combing strolls. At places it is quite treacherous to en-
ter the water due to the uneven sea floor, but you will quickly
discover the many tiny sandy spots to ease your way into the
sea. I must admit that I am a regular at this beach and have
shared its virtues with only 10 people, many of them divers
who are only on the beach long enough to get their diving gear
on before exploring the dive site.
Atlantis is not an especially exciting snorkeling destination.
However, on many occasions, I have enjoyed the prowess of
the local kite-surfers while working on my tan and reading the
much anticipated final chapter of my paperback. As is the

about a wine and cheese picnic at sunset with your lover?

Beach for Two...
I believe this is one of the many so far un-named secluded
beaches you can find while exploring the coastline. I classify
this tiny beach as a true jewel. You can find this 'Beach for
Two' 1.9 km south of the Sorobon turnoff on the east coast.
Take a 100-meter walk over rough limestone rocks (be sure
you have appropriate footwear). Then, surprise! As you
reach the coast you will discover a beautiful sandy beach, 19
steps long by 10 steps wide, just large enough for two beach

--- -

Auadifor Two

towels. Keep in mind that this beautiful beach is non-existent
when the waters are rough.
I just adore this beach. It reminds me of my many years living
on the coast of the rugged Atlantic Ocean the rumbling of
the moving water, the crashing of the waves, the mist in the
air, the salt on your lips... Ahhh! I do not recommend this
beach for swimming. I personally would not even try. The
swells are just too powerful. A blue-nose fisherman once told

Continued on page 11.

me never to turn my back on the Atlantic Ocean since nobody
ever knows what she has in mind. This is also true for this
little beach. Expect the waves to take over the beach at least
once during your time there. But in my view, wet towels are a
small price to pay for the wonderful spectacle you will witness
at this tiny "Beach for Two."

I've just started to find that Bonaire does have beaches that we
devotees of sun, sand and surf crave. I actually prefer the pri-
vacy to the long stretches of sand and people-covered coastline
other islands boast of having. Stay with me and I'll be sharing
more of my finds. O Josee Bolduc Frosst

n my series on different plants I want to
continue with another popular group of
plants on Bonaire, the Ixora. The Ixora
family comes in a lot of different types
and colors and can be used in many differ-
ent ways.
The variety I like the best is the Ixora odo-
rata Nora Grant. This is the higher grow-
ing (up to 1.5 m) variety and it comes in
rose or creamy white. The white is really
new and grows exactly the same as the
Nora Grant. It was found on Hawaii and
then rapidly cultivated in several nurseries
throughout the US. What I really like
about this one is that it does so well in our
environment. It has shiny dark green
leaves that don't fade to yellow so easily. It
really likes septic tank water; it can be
planted in the full sun and wind; and it will
make a very nice barrier or an all-year-
round flowering border.
Another one is the Ixora coccinea group.
It comes in all colors, from white to dark
red. The dark red is known as the Faya-
loby, which means, if I was well in-
formed in Surinam, "Burning Love." The
common name in the US is "Flame of the
Forest." When you see its flowers you'll
understand why. They are just beautiful!
The most frequently used type of this coc-
cinea is the cultivar "Maui." It's orange
with flowers like snowballs and perfect for
small hedges up to 1.25m. It's also avail-
able in white or yellow, but they don't
seem to do so well here. They turn yellow
very easily because of the high PH number

of our water, be it septic or from Web. The
"Maui" orange has this problem but to a
lesser degree than the lighter colors.
The last and smallest ones are the Dwarf
Ixoras. They grow up to 1 m and also
come in every color. They make perfect
small hedges, for example along a walk-
way or as a border. The strongest color
again is the orange and they seem to have
fewer problems with yellowing. In some
gardens they are used in a European style,
the way they're used as box hedges in
Renaissance gardens. The best maintained
sample of this is probably around the Bel-
lafonte apartments.
Yellowing is probably the biggest problem
for all of the Ixoras except for the Nora
Grant. That is why we use it more than the
others, but with some maintenance and
attention the other varieties will do very
nicely in your gardens too.
The Ixora is probably the richest flowering
group of plants that you can use. In my
next article I will write more about its use
and maintenance. OAp van Eldik

Ap van Eldik owns Green Label Landscaping, a company that designs, constructs and main-
tains residential and commercial gardens. He has two nurseries and a garden shop in Kral-
endijk which carries terra cotta pots from Mexico and South America. Phone 717-3410

f the new kitten ad-
ditions to the Bon-
aire Animal Shelter
"Charlie" is one of the
cutest with his sporty lit-
tle Charlie Chaplin mus-
tache. He's full of fun
and just loves rollicking
with his litter mates. His
quizzical expression and
his funny little whiskers
just make us laugh. At
eight weeks now and in
excellent health Charlie is
just old enough to be
adopted. His mother was
tested for feline leukemia,
and because her test was negative,
Charlie and her other kittens are free
from the disease as well. Charlie has
had some of his shots and will be neu-
tered when he's old enough. All this is
included in the cat adoption fee of
NAf75. You may meet Charlie at the
Shelter on the Lagoen Road, open
Monday through Friday, 10 am to 2
pm, Fridays until 1. Telephone 717-
4989.

American cartoonist and writer Eric
Gurney once said, "The really great
thing about cats is their endless variety.
One can pick a cat to fit almost any
kind of d6cor, color scheme, income,
personality or mood. But under that
fur, whatever color it may be, there still
lies, essentially unchanged, one of the
world's free souls." And that includes
Charlie! OL.D.

FREE STERILIZATION PROGRAM

OCTOBER 18 to 30. Call 717-4989

Animal Shelter's Community-wide Program

page 10

YOGA FOR YOU

Feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction do not come from striving to be
perfect. They do come from the process of using our inner power, beauty and
love in a creative, expansive, positive and loving way. It doesn't get any better
than that.
--Susan Jeffers

Pose is Utthita Trikonasana the Triangle a beautiful pose that sends life
through your whole body and maintains strong action through the legs.

T he long accepted view of what hap-
pens during the aging process is
stiffening of the joints, rigidity and the
overall shutdown of the body. Without
proper exercise that's pretty much what
will happen.
Yoga exercises can help reverse the aging
process by moving eachjoint in the body

through its full motion by stretching,
strengthening and balancing each part.
One of the misconceptions about yoga is
that you need to be flexible or be in great
physical shape to participate. This is not
true; we all need a starting point to get
ourselves in better shape. What matters is
how you feel while you practice and find-

ing the time to create a regular practice to
become more flexible.

Current research in the US increasingly
supports the benefits of yoga's weight-
bearing postures for fighting muscu-
loskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis,
osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syn-
drome. Because our muscles shorten with
age and most popular forms of weight-
training exercises may create further
stiffness, yoga is a natural alternative.
Yoga can be enjoyed by everyone, even
those who may be physically limited be-
cause of age, body shape, disability or
chronic illness. A wonderful example is
Reta Lasky from Fort Lauderdale, Flor-
ida. She prepared to celebrate her 103rd
birthday by starting her day as she has for
30 years: with an hour of yoga practice.
Proof that it's never too late to start.

Yoga is not a miracle cure, but it can of-
fer the mature adult something almost as
important- independence.
Give change a chance. DDesiree

Don and J
Desire of
"Yoga For
You" offer
classes
in yoga from
beginners to advanced

page 11

FATHERS DAY AT

LA TROPICANA
S T ould you like some-
thing to eat before
you have lunch,"
La Tropicana owner Urba Pourier
asked as we sat down at the table.
We were at the La Tropicana restau-
rant in Rincon ready to celebrate a
special Father's Day luncheon with a
happy and congenial crowd. Urba
gestured over to the flower festooned
table laden with the gastronomic
work of Bonaire Culinary Team
member Chef Anthony Anthony.
There was a spread of fresh tropical
fruits and vegetables with spicy and
sweet sauces, luncheon meats,
cheeses and salads. The "lunch"
which followed was made up an aro-
matic fish soup, filet of fish in a
creamy herb sauce, chicken in a red Chef Anthony Anthony
wine and mushroom sauce, a light
and crusty potato "cake" followed by a dessert of fresh mango and Rincon quisillo
All the fathers, even the future ones, were given boutonnibres. There was dancing to
the only juke box in Bonaire and "testimonials" extolling the virtues of fathers. Prizes
and fun, photos and good camaraderie. As we always say, Rinconeros really know how
to throw a party! O L.D.

GOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO BUY OR SELL?
REACH MORE READERS THAN ANY OTHER WEEKLY
NEWSPAPER BY ADVERTISING IN THE BONAIRE REPORTER

Wanted: HOUSE TO RENT- We are look-
ing for a house with 3 bedrooms, 2 bath-
rooms and if possible, a not-too-small
porch. Kind of garden would be marvel-
ous. Please phone 717-4200.

Couple looking to rent a kunuku long
term. Call 785-9013

Looking for storage! Call 790-1604

Wanted: ceiling kitchen lamp. tel. 717-
0124

PICTURE YOURSELF

WITH THE REPORTER

'- .; \ ,

-' .- IL

.rl~ c~

Grosglockner Mountain, Austria

t's some of Bonaire's top windsurfers reading The Bonaire Reporter. As you
can see they are not in Lac Bay for a change. Liesje Saragoza sent us this
photo she took on the way to windsurfing expositions in Italy with Elvis Mar-
tinus, Everon (Tonky) Frans and her sons Bjom and Jiirgen Saragoza. They were
on the Grosglockner Mountain in Austria at an altitude of 2,571 m. (8,484 ft.). O

WIN GREAT PRIZES! Take a copy of The Bonaire Reporter with you on your next trip or
when you return to your home. Then take a photo of yourself with the newspaper in hand.
THE BEST PHOTOS OF THE YEAR WILL WIN THE PRIZES. Mail photos to Bonaire
Reporter, Kaya Gob. Debrot 200-6, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (AN). E-mail to: pic-
ture@bonairereporter.com. (All 2004 photos are eligible.) D

KHoK

here in the world can
you experience a feel-
ing of complete free-
dom, of inner peace, of wonder
and amazement as if you were the
first person on earth? Where in this
world can you roam around, with-
out a group, without a guide and
without the anxiety that nature
might harm you or that someone
will threaten you? The beauty of
Bonaire is overwhelming, but what
one needs is an eye for detail.
Life on Bonaire can be hard for the
animals and plants. Long lasting
periods of drought can be deadly
and, as everywhere else in the
world, people can be a menace.
But it's also mankind that can
make a difference. We can protect
or destroy. We always have a
choice. The people of Bonaire
made their choice a long time ago.Eve
With love and respect they pro-
tected and preserved. That's some-
thing to be proud of. That's the
reason why people from all over
the world are coming to Bonaire. The
natural environment is the pillar of the
island's economy. Whether you're
sweeping the streets, whether you're in
construction, waiting tables, or working
at an office, the majority of the money
that comes in comes from the tourism
industry.
And our tourist is most often an eco-
tourist. He comes for nature. Not for
shopping malls, not for fancy buildings,
not for mundane beaches. Our tourist
comes to dive, to windsurf, to hike, to
kayak, to bike, to snorkel or to watch
birds. He comes for peace and tranquility
and to experience things in a way that
makes Bonaire unique in the world. The
protection of our environment is not only
important from an emotional and re-
spectful point of view; for us it definitely
is an economic necessity as well.
We've got the Marine Park, Washington-
Slagbaai Park, the donkeys, the turtles
and the flamingos. And we've got the
Lora. From all the species, this one is
unique. The Amazona barbadensis roths-
childi, as its Latin name says, lives only
on Bonaire and the distant Venezuelan
islands of Margarita and La Blanquilla.
However, on those islands very little is
known about the number of Loras living
there, and it's also not proven that we're
really talking about the exact same bird.
Only if we would compare genetic mate-
rial from our Lora with that of the Vene-
zuelan birds could we find out how
closely they are related. In the meantime,
nobody has ever done that, so we can't
tell for sure.
The fact is that our Lora is unique in the
world. And because of that it deserves
our protection. In 1931 the Lora was in-
cluded in a law to protect species that
"become gradually extinct and whose
continued existence is appreciated."
Nowadays the Bonairean Lora has been
put on List I of the International Cites
Convention in the company of other seri-
ously endangered species as man-apes,
turtles and dolphins. Our own Antillean
law prohibits killing, poaching, disturb-
ing of nests, selling and keeping the Lora
in captivity.

Two years ago a one-time amnesty was

y captive Lora in Bonaire was fitted with
a metal "band" above the foot,
engraved with a serial number

given to the people who were keeping a
Lora in captivity. Since then about 95%
of the Loras that were kept in captivity
were banded and registered. It means
that every Lora now without a band
that's caged and in captivity is illegal
and therefore prohibited by law. So, eve-
ryone who has an unbanded Lora is li-
able to a penalty. A fine has to be paid of
NAf1.000 for each bird and the bird will
be confiscated. The same punishment
applies to every person who kills,
poaches, disturbs a nest or tries to sell a
Lora. When someone is caught repeat-
edly the fine might even be higher. Dur-
ing the coming months police, SSV, Po-
lis Ambiental (Environmental Police)
and STINAPA's park rangers will be
extra alert and they will strictly enforce
the law. If you see that someone is dis-
turbing or poaching a nest or that some-
one is trying to sell a Lora, please call
717-3741 or 717-8000.
It doesn't take a lot of brain power to
find out that the rules are in fact very
simple: Just let the Lora be, don't touch
it, don't mess around with it, leave it! It
can't be easier! And if you're dying to
have a Lora in a cage, wait awhile be-
cause in time it will be allowed to sell
the second generation of the registered
birds legally. Another option would be to
buy a registered Lora from its present
owner. What you should realize is that
the number of Loras that are living in
captivity is much greater than those
that are free.

Nature is not a bottomless source; it's
not a factory that produces on request.
Once something is gone, it's gone for-
ever. Bonaire's nature is exceptionally
beautiful, but one species more or less
will have a big impact on the island.
Even if you don't care about nature you
should realize the money you're making
here comes from it. You pay your rent,
your utility bills, your food, your car and
your clothes with it. Our Economy is
Nature. Protection and preservation
doesn't always have to come from the
heart, it can also be a well considered
and wise decision: Protect our Lora, it
belongs on Bonaire! O Greta Kooistra

Cook the spinach for 5 minutes in 1 Tab. of oil. Strain and put in a bowl. Mix with
ricotta cheese. Heat 2 Tab. oil in a pan. Add pepper and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or
until tender. Mix with the spinach and ricotta cheese. Add basil, salt and pepper to
the mixture. Fill the cannelloni tubes with the stuffing and place on a greased bak-
ing dish.
Chop, then mash the tomatoes. Heat the 3 Tab. oil in a saucepan. Add the
tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and cook until thickened. Pour over the can-
nelloni. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 for 35 to 45
minutes.
*Use pre-cooked cannelloni or if using regular cannelloni, cook lightly. The
cooking will finish in the oven. O A.S.

page 13

ANEWMINI A NITHL T 7 OFFER

T here's a
new num-
salon in town,
Circulo de
Bellesa (beauty
club), run by
Lina. The place
is clean and
cheery, and
Lina, well
trained in her
native Colombia,
is an expert in
massage, facials,
pedicures, mani-
cures and perma-
nent make up.
Lina is an enthu-
siastic and dedi-
cated profes-
sional who
knows her busi-
ness and can ad-
vise you on all
your beauty care.
Clients we
talked with had
heard about her
already through
friends or family
and were eager
to visit the salon. Lina performspedicure art on her client, Liesje Saragoza,
Lina specializes famous windsurf mom.
in lymph and
anti-stress massages, using aromatic oils. Massages (30 minutes) are NAf35.
Those with delicate skin will appreciate her half hour facials (NAf50) where she
uses only hypo allergenic products. Her pedicures, very reasonably priced at
NAf28, include a truly relaxing leg massage and even nail designs at no extra cost.
Manicures start at NAf25 and also include a design if you wish. Of course she
does gel nail work as well.
Circulo de Bellesa is located at #4 Papa Comes (just around the corner from the
Bargain Mini Market on Kaya Korona). It's the second house on the right. Lina's
phone is 786-9094 or you may make an appointment through her daughter Angie at
785-0056. Circulo de Bellesa is open Monday through Saturday. O L.D.

Saturday, July 10- Soldachi Dos Pos
nature tour, beautiful vistas. Learn
about the plants, trees, birds, culture
and history in an informal and friendly
way. 6:30 am. Call Maria at 717-6435
or 790-5657 to reserve. A small dona-
tion is requested: NAf10 for adults;
NAf5 for children.

EVERY WEEK
Sunday -Live music 6 to 9 pm while
enjoying a great dinner in colorful
tropical ambiance at the Chibi Chibi
Restaurant & Bar. Open daily 5 to 10
pm. Live Fla-Bingo with great prizes,
starts 7 pm, Divi Flamingo
Monday -Soldachi Tour of Rincon,
the heart of Bonaire, 9 am-noon.
$20-Call Maria 717-6435
Monday -Rum Punch Party on the
beach at Lion's Dive. Dutch National
Products introduces Time Sharing and

CLUBS and MEETINGS
AA meetings eveiy Wednesday; Phone
717-6105; 560-7267 or 717- 3902.
Al-Anon meetings every Monday
evening at 7 pm. Call 790-7272
Bridge Club Wednesdays, 7:30 pm
at the Union Building on Kaya
Korona, across from the RBTT Bank
and next to Kooyman's. All levels in-
vited NAf5 enty fee. Call Cathy 566-4056.
Darts Club plays every other Sunday
at City Caf6. Registration at 4, games
at 5. Tel. 717-2950, 560-7539.
Kiwanis Club meets at APNA Plaza,
Kaya International, every other
Tuesday, 7 pm. Tel. 717-5595, secre-
tary Jeannette Rodriguez.

Nautila and Schillie location June 2004

The turtle nesting season is again fully underway and we are seeing a lot of turtle
nesting activity around the island. At Klein Bonaire, which we monitor most in-
tensely, we have already found 20 nests, mostly laid by loggerheads (kawama) and
hawksbills (karet). A leatherback made nests at Playa Chikitu and Lagoen in April,
which is very unusual for Bonaire. This is a very good start for the 2004 turtle nesting
season!

Many of you have asked us what happened to the two adult hawksbills that we tracked
from Klein Bonaire last year. Here is a brief update: we are still occasionally receiving
signals from both 'Nautila' and 'Schillie,' indicating that they are alive and apparently
doing well in their feeding habitats where we tracked them to at Banco Navidad
(Dominican Republic) and Mona Island (Puerto Rico). Both these areas are relatively
safe for turtles: they reside in places that are relatively hard for humans to reach and
live in waters between 20 and 50 meters deep. The radio signals unfortunately no
longer provide us with precise locations for the turtles, which is probably the result of
the short times that the turtles are staying at the surface to breathe, low batteries in the
transmitters, damaged antennas, or a combination of all these factors. Since female
hawksbills only breed every two to four years, we expect to see 'Nautila' or 'Schillie'
again on Klein Bonaire in 2005 at the earliest. But as there is an active sea turtle re-
search program at Mona Island, there is a chance that 'Schillie' may be seen there in
the water. If any news develops, we will let you know.
For the 2004 turtle nesting season we are planning to do more turtle tracking, with log-
gerhead turtles in July and hawksbills in October. We are currently looking for more
sponsors to help purchase transmitters to track these turtles "home" after they visit
Bonaire. With transmitters each costing about US$1,750 (NAf3.200), plus about an
equal amount for satellite time per turtle, this is a costly project that can only be com-
pleted with your help! If you are interested in a turtle tracking sponsorship, even if for
only a partial amount, please contact us, the STCB at tel (599) 717-2225 or 790-0433,
e-mail: stcb@bonaireturtles.org. In return, we offer the possibility of naming the spon-
sored turtle, participation in fieldwork with the turtles and frequent updates of turtle
tracking results. O Robert P. van Dam

BONAIRE'S TRADITIONS
MangazinadiRei,Rincon. Enjoy the
view from "The King's Storehouse" while
learning about Bonaire's history and culture
andvisit typical homes fromthe 17th cen-
tury. Daily. Call 717-4060 or 790-2018
Go to the source. Visit the Bonaire Mu-
seum onKaya J. v.d. Ree, behind the
Catholic Church in town Open weekdays
from 8 am-noon, 1:30-5 pm. Tel. 717-8868
Washington-Slagbaai National Park,
Museum and Visitors' Center. Open
daily 8 am-5 pm. Closed on some holi-
days. 717-8444/785-0017
Sunday at Cai- Live music and danc-
ing starts about 12 noon at Lac Cai.
Dance to the music of Bonaire's most
popular musicians.
Saturday at Rincon Marshe Liber
(smaller markets) 8 am until 2 pm
Large market offering Rincon area
tours on the first Saturday of each
month, 10 am to 2 pm
Dos Pos Scenic Walk- Second Satur-
day of the Month. NAf10-Call Maria

Calabas Restaurant & Chibi Chibi Restaurant and Bar Moderate-Expensive Get a view of the beach and beautiful turquoise setting when enjoying a
At the Divi Flamingo Beach Resort. Waterfront Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner breakfast buffet or a la carte lunch and dinner at the 'Chibi Chibi' restaurant
717-8285 Open 7 days & bar. Enjoy inspiring vistas and a high standard of international cuisine.

La Balandra Moderate Cuisine by Chef Alberto Roldan of the Bonaire Culinary Team.
On the Water at the Harbour Village Resort Breakfast-Lunch If you are using the NAf25 Beach Pass, a NAf 15 credit is given for meals
717-7500, ext 62; 785-0902 Special Dinners on Friday, Sunday Bonaire's best seaside location.

Low-Moderate
The Last Bite Bakery Orders taken 8 am-4 pm; Deliveries 6-7:30pm njoy a delicious dessert or savory baked meal in the comfort of your home o0
717-3293 Closed Sunday resort. This unique bakery offers gourmet class items -always from scratch-
Home Delivery or Take Out for take out or delivery only.

LAcross from MCn own Kralendijk Brea oWy D er atch the bustle of downtown from this street side Caribbean-style bistro
Across from MCB Bank in downtown Kralendijk Breakfast, Lunch, Early Dinner owned and run by a European educated Master Chef and his wife.
Call 717-8003 Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays

OnP a b brot Low-Moderate Bonaire's best. The Real Thing! Freshly prepared pizzas made with the finest in-
2 mile north of town center. 790-1111 Open from 5-11 pm Wednesday-Sunday gredien Salad et atn or take ay. i b too.

AIRLINES
BonairExel. Bonaire's own ON TIME airline flying be-
tween Bonaire, Curagao and Aruba. Look for The Bon-
aire Reporter on board.
APPLIANCESIFURNITUREICOMPUTERS
City Shop is Bonaire's mega-store for TV, Stereos, Air
conditioning, large and small kitchen appliances. Name
brands, guarantees and service center.
BANKS
Maduro and Curiel's Bank provides the greatest num-
ber of services, branches and ATMs of any Bonaire bank.
They also offer investments and insurance.
BEAUTY PARLOR
Hair Affair. Expert hair cutting, styling, facials, waxing
and professional nail care.

BICYCLE I SCOOTER QUADS
De Freewieler rents scooters and quads; professionally
repairs almost anything on two wheels. Sells top brand
bikes.
BOOKS
Watercolours Bonaire and Eye on Aruba, Bonaire,
Curacao are the most original ways to remember Bonaire
and the islands at their best. At Photo Tours and many
other island shops.
Bonaire Diving Made Easy, Third Edition, is an essen-
tial in your dive bag. The latest information on Bonaire's
shore dive sites.
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
APA Construction are professional General
Contractors. They also specialize in creating patios and
walkways with fabulous sprayed and stamped concrete
pavement.
CYBER CAFES
See Restaurant Guide for The Seahorse Cyber Cafe.
DENTURES
All Denture Lab. For denture repair or new ones. All
work done on the island, fast results. Owner-operator
denturist. Repairs while you wait.
DIVING
Carib Inn is the popular 10-room inn with top-notch dive
shop and well stocked retail store. Best book trade on Bon-
aire. Good prices on regulator repair, dive computer H.Q.

page 16

Dive Inn Seven studio apartments and dive shop/school
directly on the waterfront in the heart of town. Friendly,
highly experienced with an exceptional staff.
FITNESS
Bonfysio offers comprehensive fitness programs to suit
your needs whether they be weight loss, sports or just
keeping in shape. Convenient schedule.
Fit 4 Life at the Plaza Resort Mall. Classes in Pilates,
Aerobics, TaeBo and more. Professional trainers, fitness
machines and classes for all levels.
GARDEN SUPPLIES AND SERVICES
Green Label has everything you need to start or maintain
your garden. They can design, install and maintain it and
offer plants, irrigation supplies and garden chemicals.
GIFTS SOUVENIRS LIQUORS
The Bonaire Gift Shop has a big selection of what you
need to enjoy Bonaire and remember it when you get
home. Digital cameras and watches a specialty.
HOTELS
Hotel Bonaire Inn (formerly Friars' Inn), downtown
Kralendijk, has rooms and breakfast at Bonaire's lowest
prices. Great for tourists or when visiting family and
friends.
METALWORK AND MACHINE SHOP
b c b- Botterop Construction Bonaire N.V., offers out-
standing fabrication of all metal products, including
stainless. Complete machine shop too.
PHOTO FINISHING
Paradise Photo in the Galeries Shopping Center offers
fast, fine processing for prints and slides plus a variety of
items and services for your picture-taking pleasure.
REAL ESTATE I RENTAL AGENTS
Harbourtown Real Estate is Bonaire's oldest real es-
tate agent. They specialize in professional customer ser-
vices and top notch properties.
Re/Max Paradise Homes: International/US connections.
5% of profits donated to local community.
Sunbelt Realty offers full real estate, rental, and insur-
ance services. If you want a home or to invest in Bonaire,
stop in and see them.
REPAIRS
Bon Handyman is here if you need something fixed or
built. Ultra reliable, honest and experienced. Electrical,
plumbing, woodworking, etc.

SHIPPING
Rocargo Freight Air and sea shipments in/out of Bon-
aire. Customs agents. Professional and efficient. FedEx
agent. Call 717-8922/8033.
SUPERMARKETS
Tropical Flamingo is convenient, clean, modem, effi-
cient and has the lowest prices on Bonaire. Located be-
hind NAPA.
Visit Warehouse Bonaire to shop in a large, spotless
supermarket. You'll find American and European brand
products. THE market for provisioning.
TOYS AND GAMES
Laur'an is a store dedicated to providing quality toys
and games to Bonaire. Find them on Kaya Gerharts in the
Lourdes Shopping Mall
WATER TAXI
Get to Klein Bonaire by Ferry. Call Bonaire Nautico at
560-7254. Ride the Kantika di Amor or Skiffy. Hotel
pickup too.
WINES
Antillean Wine Company. You've tried the rest; now
try the best: best prices, highest quality wines from
around the world, kept in a cooled warehouse. Free deliv-
ery.
YOGA
Yoga For You. Join certified instructors Desiree and
Don at Jong Bonaire for a workout that will refresh mind
and body. Private lessons too.
ATTENTION BUSINESSMEN:

"XW hen friends moved to Bonaire
VV and were so enthusiastic we
came to see what they had found at the
other end of the world. The first time
was in '94 and we fell in love with the
island. We went on our bikes through the
mondi and all the old neighborhoods of
Antriol, Nikiboko and Tera Cora, taking
lots of pictures of the typical Bonairean
houses. Then we came every year.
In Holland I was a dental prosthesist and
Joke was a nurse with the mentally dis-
abled. Life was good in many ways; we
had our own house; we made a good living
and we had our friends and family. Bon-
aire was just a nice vacation destination.
But as the years passed we got to know
quite a few people here and it started
feeling more like home. Once we spent
the night camping at Luga Aleha. I re-
member sitting there, watching the sun
go down in flames, being one with na-
ture, sensing an ancient and mystical
feeling. It just hit us both and we said,
yes, we want something here.' We
bought a five hectare lot in Bolivia, in-
tending to build some-
thing in the future. But
Joke had her daughters "People
in Holland and we had more p
our friends, our life.
In 2001 friends told us acceptance
they were selling their Religion p
house and that did it.
We knew the house. and altho
We'd seen how our religious,
friends renovated it
with blood, sweat and learn
tears a hundred-year-

he
at
te
)la
ug
It
fr

old little house in Antriol with a toko
(shop) where in the old days people
could buy water and candy. We'd loved
that place so we said, 'We'll buy it.' Our
friends were delighted as it would stay
'in the family.'
Back in Holland, I wanted to return to
Bonaire as soon as possible, but I left the
decision up to Joke as she had to leave
her daughters and grandchild and we
needed jobs. Joke started applying to
every medical firm and I went to work to
get the permits to start a dental prosthesis
practice. We arrived on Bonaire with two
dogs and three cats and without jobs.
Luckily, Joke started at the hospital al-
most immediately. The first couple of
months I painted and cleaned up the
house and looked for a location to start
my practice."

"For me it was different," Joke says, "I
was working very hard, 40 hours a week.
The container hadn't arrived; we were
camping in the house; lots of friends
came to stay; and being in my early 50s I
had to deal with hot flashes in the trop-
ics."
"I think we ought to be proud of our-
selves," Evelien smiles, "the fact that we
took the step at our age, not having a

great financial backup, plunging into a
completely different life without all the
'security' we were used to. We learned a
lot, especially in the beginning when we
were fixing things in the house. You
need some wood and you think I'll go to
Kooyman to get it. It doesn't work that
way! You have to be creative, to find
other solutions: go and look where peo-
ple are working and see if you can use
what they're throwing away! You get
used to it and learn that the superabun-
dance of everything in the shops in the
western world is, in fact, not normal.
Here you get great pleasure when you
find something you need.
For the first time since we moved here
we went for a holiday to Curagao and
Puerto Rico. It was fun to go to Wal-
Mart and we did a lot of shopping, espe-
cially for clothes and books, all the
things you miss here. Well... I won't say
'miss.' It's just fun to see all those
things. On the other hand, all the traffic,
all the hassle, it makes you want to run
back to Bonaire. Then you realize what a
wonderful place we
have here... space
re have far and tranquility.
ience and Life is just lovely
here and we enjoy it
han we have. every day in spite of
ys a big role, the fact that it's not
easy to make a liv-
;h we're not ing. But it's worth it.
think we can I can't go back to
Holland. If I did it
rom it. would only be for
the money and that
wouldn't feel right. Shoes! I'm not wear-
ing shoes anymore. Only at the practice I
have a decent pair. It's just that you have
to find a balance and that takes time.
When we told people about our decision
their reaction was often: 'Jeez, you have
a lot of courage. I'd like to myself, but..'
Now, when they come to visit us, they
get infected, they get the fever!"
Evelien Rijswijk and Joke Broese are as
relaxed as can be, sitting on their porch
in Antriol, enjoying their lovely old gar-
den with Shimaruku trees and an excep-
tionally beautiful Stokkie, a very old tree
with its branches widely spread, creating
a naturalparasol. Three dogs and three
cats are part of the family and outside
the fence there are another three dogs
they're taking care of
"We love animals," Joke says, "and so
it's been hard to get used to so many
stray dogs who are neglected and in bad
shape. I have to learn to cope with that.
I'm going to assist in the Animal Shel-
ter's sterilization program in October.
They're going to sterilize as many dogs
as possible for free for people who can-
not afford it. I wish they would give it
more publicity because I see it as a very
important thing.
People here have far more patience and

acceptance than we have. Religion plays
a big role, and although we're not reli-
gious, I think we can learn from it.
We're brought up with security from the
cradle to the grave, at least that's what
they want you to believe. Of course it's
not true; people live and die everywhere
in the world, but what I found out is that
here you have more of a life!"
"I think it will be fun to grow old here,"
Evelien says. "Really! Unless something
happens to you, but that's nonsense too.
In Holland they might be able to take
care of you better in a technical way, but
here you can do more, you can stay out-
side. There you're locked up."

"I've been thinking," says Joke, "about
offering home care to people who need
a nurse so they can remain at home in
Bonaire. Of course there are also elderly
people from Europe or the States who
might need care and want to stay here
and keep their independence. I think it's
different for Antilleans. They can rely on
their friends and family. After they did-
n't need me anymore at the hospital I
worked for the Maria Hoppner Founda-
tion. Now I'm talking with the FKPB
about a job, but the idea of offering pro-
fessional home care is there and I'd like
to see what I can do with it."
"When I started with the dental prosthe-
sis practice," Evelien says, "I found out
that things were very different. In Hol-
land you work in an area of, let's say
35,000 people, and everything is covered

by the government or by private insur-
ance. It doesn't work like that here. I had
to get used to it, but slowly and gradually
the business started picking up, espe-
cially by word of mouth. Many people
are still going to Curagao for their pros-
thesis but I'm trying to keep them here
on Bonaire. I deliver good quality and I
have 25 years of professional experience.
I love my job and it's great to hand
someone a mirror and hear them say, 'I
look beautiful!' I'm a perfectionist. Peo-
ple can call me any time. I've always
wanted to work with my hands and to do
something with people. This is just the
perfect combination.
I feel that living on Bonaire has enriched
our lives. We live very quietly; we have
our friends; I play tennis; we go snorkel-
ing and for long walks with the dogs. At
night we mostly stay at home sitting here
on the porch under the stars, just being
lazy. I haven't got the faintest idea if
we'll always stay here. We want to, defi-
nitely, but who knows? I know it's diffi-
cult for Joke because she misses her
daughters and
grandchildren,
but still, both of
us feel the
same: It has
been worth it,
absolutely!" 1
Greta Kooistra

SOLDACHI TOURS ADDS ANOTHER AMBLE
It seems that
the organizers
of the Soldachi
Tours, led by
Maria Koeks,
never sleep.
They've added
even another tour
to their list and
it's a must for
those who want
to enjoy an early
morning hike
through the wil-
derness and
"Grand Canyon"
of northern Bon- "Grand Canyon" of Bonaire
aire, ending at the
spectacular view-
ing area of Alta Mira. It's the time of the morning when, as Maria says, "Nature is
awakening." Birds are calling and with every turn you encounter another view. People
from Rincon are your guides and you learn about the plants and trees and history in a
relaxed and friendly way. How better to see and feel the heart and soul of the island.
Last weekend a group of local people and a visitor met at the Rincon Marsh6 site in the
center of town and were bused to the starting point to begin the nature tour. After about
an hour and a half we reached Alta Mira to absorb the more-than-180 degree view of
the hills, the valley of Rincon and the sea on both sides. The mini bus was there to meet
us; we had juice and watermelon. There was the option of taking the bus back to Rin-
con or walking down the hill back to the Marsh6 where soup, pancakes and sweets
were on sale for the hungry.
This tour, called the "Alta Mira Tour," will be offered every third Saturday of the
month at 6:30 am. Call Maria Koeks at 717-6435 or 790-5657 to reserve. There is a
small donation of NAf 10 for adults and NAf5 for children. It includes transportation,
juice and a fruit snack. O L.D.

MORE ABOUT Ruthsel, Jopi and Tico at work on Alta Mira construction

ALTA MIRA
1 o honor.
Brootje Janga
(a.k.a."Mr. Rin-
con"), who re-
cently passed
away, a group of
people decided to
clean up the view-
ing area of Alta
Mira. "It was one
of Brootje's pro-
ects in the first
place," said Maria
Koeks, "and it's a
wonderful place for people to come to see the beautiful views." One of the workers,
Ruthsel, explained that he and his friends Jopi and Tico asked Commissioner James
Kroon if the government would be willing to pay for their restoring and improving the
area which had become overgrown, weedy and infested with termites. The Commis-
sioner agreed and the trio started working two months ago, burning the termite-infested
wood, pouring concrete, making paths and seating areas for comfortable viewing. They
should be finished by this week. Then LVV (the agricultural department) will start
planting trees and shrubs. The cost to the government is estimated to be around
NAf 12.000. There's been a big improvement and the views are spectacular. The dirt
road leading to the site is at the top of the steep Karpata road. O L.D.

t was a tough competi-
tion with 194 entries,
but the outstanding draw-
ing by 10-year-old Juliette
Cicilia won hands down.
Her drawing will be used
in future BonairExel ad-
vertising. The aim of the
contest was for all the
children in the elementary
schools to make a drawing
showing what fun it is to
vacation with BonairExel.
For her winning poster
Juliette won two round
trip tickets on the airline
and her school, Reijna
Beatrix, will get NAf375
worth of BonairExel air-
line tickets to be used as
prizes for fundraising
events. (This is in addition
to the NAf1.000 worth of
tickets given to each ele-
mentary school to help the
schools raise funds.)
Second grader Juliette
worked hard on her poster,
but she said, confidently,
"I knew when I put in the
rock that I would win!"
Atop the rock is Juliette Roosje Goeloe, BonairExel
herself and a friend is div- Marketing, congratulates winner Juliette Cicilia
ing off. Her teacher,
Fientje Lourens, added, "Juliette did it totally on her own." Giving out the awards
were Lt. Governor Hurbert Domacass6 and Commissioner Burney el Hage.
Other winners are: Amber in the 5A class at Papa Comes who won second prize;
Jordenne Arindel in the 3A class at Kristu Bon Warador who won third. DL.D.

page It

-W &VAHW

*to find it, just look up

The "Three Tenors of Summer"
A Stellar Trio to
Brighten Your Nights!

As opera aficionados know, any
appearance of the "Three Ten-
ors" is always a must-see. And
likewise, I think, when every summer a
cosmic trio makes its annual appearance,
that's also a must-see.
On any clear evening in late June and
early July, around 10 o'clock, look due
east high up off the horizon. You will see
three bright stars which, if you draw
imaginary lines between them, make up
what we call the great Summer Trian-
gle.
And if you're in a really dark spot on

Summer
Triangle

ai., I
p r

riv r

4 .

Ic-

Bonaire you will notice that two of these stars are embedded in that faint ribbon of
celestial light we call the Milky Way, while the brightest of the three is just off to
its side. Now these three stars are named, in the order of their brightness: Vega,
Altair and Deneb. And in ancient times they were each part of constellations that
represented birds. And although Altair is still the brightest star in the constellation
Aquila the Eagle and Deneb is the tail star of Cygnus the Swan, the bird of which
Vega was the brightest star has since been changed to Lyra the Harp. Even so, I
still think of these three stars as three summer birds flying together across summer
skies. But these stellar birds are birds of a different feather!
For instance, if they were all the same distance away from Earth we could safely
assume that their size would follow the same order as their brightness, which
would mean that Vega would be the biggest, Altair the second biggest and Deneb
the smallest in size. But since we now know that all stars lie at different distances
from Earth and that they vary greatly in size, their apparent brightness is extremely
deceiving. For instance, although Vega appears the brightest, dimmer Altair is ac-
tually closer. Indeed, while Altair is only 16 light years away, Vega is 26 light
years away. And although Altair is about 1/2 times the size of our Sun, Vega is 2/2
times its size, which makes more distant Vega much brighter in Earth's skies than
Altair.
But Deneb has them both beat hands down because although Deneb is the dimmest
in Earth's skies, it is simply because of its incredible distance. Indeed it is not a
mere 16 light years away like Altair or a mere 26 light years away like Vega, but
1,800 light years beyond.
And if Deneb were the size of either Vega or Altair we couldn't even see it with the
naked eye. The only reason we see it is because it is a whopping 115 times the di-
ameter of our Sun. Or if you'd like to think of it this way, whereas Altair is 10
times as bright as our Sun and Vega is 50 times as bright as our Sun, Deneb is a
blinding 80,000 times as bright as our Sun, proving that in heaven as well as on
Earth appearances are deceiving. In fact if Deneb were as close to Earth as Vega or
Altair it would be the brightest star in the sky.
Be sure to look south, too, and you'll easily spot the Southern Cross, riding just
about as high as you'll find anytime during the year. O Jack Horkimer

Moon Info (i First Quarter on June 25"

Full Moon on July 2nd

) Last Quarter on July 9 New Moon on July 17

M For the week: June 25 to July 2, 2004
By Astrologer Michael Thiessen

ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Your emotional state could leave you vulnerable and
confused. You might be overly emotional when dealing with your partner. You
may be out of sorts if you have been extravagant or have let children or friends
take advantage of you financially. You need an outlet that will help take your mind
off any troubles at work. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Don't give in too quickly. Your emotional partner
will push the right buttons this week. Travel will be favorable. You can gain
knowledge from dealing with foreigners. Verbal abuse may lead to walkouts; don't
make any rash statements you may regret later. Your lucky day this week will be
Wednesday.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You can make a difference if you offer your help at
functions that involve children. You will be inclined to make unwise investment
choices. Don't deny yourself this week. You will be able to work in fine detail and
present the best possible proposal. Your lucky day this week will be Friday.
CANCER (June 22-July 22) You are best to do something energetic with friends
instead. Try to understand both sides of the issue before taking sides. You should
teach children some of your unique creative talents. You need a change of pace.
Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Try to curb your bad habits. You should check out prestig-
ious clubs or groups that have a cause you believe in. You will be able to catch up
on overdue paper work. Lend an ear to children; it can make a difference. Your
lucky day this week will be Thursday.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Don't be too eager to spend money that you really
don't have. You must be extremely careful not to let relatives or friends interfere in
your personal life. Drastic financial losses may be likely if you lend money. Work
quietly behind the scenes for best results. Your lucky day this week will be Wednesday.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) It's time to make professional changes. Don't prejudge.
You may get drawn into a personal situation that will not be to your liking. New
romantic ties can be made; however, you must make sure that your motives are not
selfish before you make your move. Communication will be the source of your
knowledge and you must be sure to spend time with those who have more experi-
ence. Your lucky day this week will be Sunday.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 Nov. 22) New emotional connections can be made through
business contacts. You may have a rather hectic day due to events that children are
involved in. Make a point of working on yourself. You won't be able to keep a se-
cret. Your lucky day this week will be Sunday.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Sudden changes regarding colleagues may
surprise you. Be honest if you wish to solve the problem. Your communication
skills are at an all-time high. You will find yourself tied to the phone. Your lucky
day this week will be Monday.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Try to deal with the problems of those less for-
tunate; however, don't allow them to make unreasonable demands. Get back down
to earth and to basics. Your irritability will lead to family squabbles. Your confi-
dence will stabilize your position. Your lucky day this week will be Saturday.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Mingle with those who can help you get ahead.
Don't let the erratic behavior of someone you live with interfere with your profes-
sional performance. Don't hold back; go with the flow and take a bit of a chance.
Trying to deal with your mate will be unproductive and possibly hurtful. Your
lucky day this week will be Wednesday.
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Trouble could be brewing at home. Don't reveal any
personal details. It's a favorable time for real estate, investments, and moneymak-
ing opportunities to be successful. Opposition is present and you should be pre-
pared to counteract it as best you can. Your lucky day this week will be Wednes-
day1 n